The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said that the administration has yet to punish any retailers for violating a newly implemented environmental policy that limits the use of plastic shopping bags and tableware.
On Jan. 1, the ban on plastic bags and utensils extended from government-run stores to department stores, supermarkets, fast-food restaurants, convenience stores and almost every type of retailer, except street vendors. It's estimated that more than 50,000 stores have been affected by the second round.
Beginning Feb. 16, the EPA began to crack down on violators of the policy. If violators were found to be in violation of the law when inspectors returned, two to four weeks after the first visit, they would be fined NT$60,000.
Beginning this week, the EPA began revisiting violators. According to the administration, previous violators are complying with the new regulations.
EPA officials said that among the 26,000 stores inspected between Feb. 16 and March 3, 1,250 stores were in violation of the policy, making the average violation rate only 4.8 percent.
The area with the highest percentage of violators is Kaohsiung City, with a rate of 13.5 percent whereas Chiayi City had 7.3 percent and Chiayi County, 6.7 percent.
The most common violations include providing customers with plastic dining utensils and plastic bags whose thickness is less than the designated 0.06mm.
Some shop owners who received warnings said that they actually ordered regulation plastic shopping bags but were deceived by dishonest manufacturers, who gave them thinner ones.
Responding to such complaints, EPA officials said that retailers are welcome to ask for help from environmental bureaus nation-wide.
"Suspicious retailers are encouraged to bring samples of products they are going to order to any environmental bureau for examination," said Lai Ying-ying (
The low violation rate could be attributed to the revision of the policy last month. The EPA decided in early February that local bureaus would not inspect affected stores randomly but by category. Priority targets are department stores and large chain stores.
Beginning this week, the EPA began targeting small shops. However, the shortage of manpower might compromise the EPA's inspection work.
Between Feb. 16 and March 3, Taipei City Government inspected 11,300 stores, the largest number of stores inspected in any jurisdiction. The record was followed by Kaohsiung City's 3,366 stores and Taipei County Government's 1,489 stores. In remaining jurisdictions, EPA officials said, due to the shortage of manpower, only about 1,000 stores were inspected.
EPA officials therefore encourage residents to report any violation to the agency's Web site and hotlines.
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